Retirement Planning That Goes Beyond Guesswork

One of the most critical questions in financial planning is deceptively simple: Will I have enough? Whether you are saving for retirement or already spending from your portfolio, the answer depends on far more than a single rate-of-return assumption. Market volatility, inflation, healthcare costs, tax policy changes, and unexpected life events all conspire to make retirement planning a moving target.

At Financial Planning Hawaii, we use our proprietary Nest Egg Guru software alongside institutional-grade Monte Carlo simulations to stress-test your retirement plan under a wide range of scenarios. Rather than giving you a single number, we show you probabilities — helping you understand what happens if returns are below average, if inflation runs hot, or if you face an extended period of market losses early in retirement.

Saving for Retirement: Are You on Track?

For those still accumulating wealth, we analyze your current savings rate, employer retirement plan contributions, expected Social Security benefits, and investment allocation to project whether your retirement timeline is realistic. We identify actionable adjustments — from increasing contributions to optimizing your asset location strategy — that can dramatically improve your long-term outcomes.

Spending in Retirement: Sustainable Withdrawal Strategies

For retirees, we evaluate your current withdrawal strategy to determine whether your spending rate is sustainable over a 30+ year horizon. We factor in required minimum distributions, Social Security timing, pension income, and tax-efficient withdrawal sequencing to build a spending plan that maximizes your after-tax income while preserving your portfolio's longevity.

The FPH Difference

Most advisors run a single retirement projection with an average rate of return. We run thousands of scenarios to show you what happens in the worst case — because that is what actually matters for retirement security.

30+
Years of Retirement Planning Experience
20+
Findings Per Typical Planning Review
95%
Client Retention Rate
500+
Retirement Plans Stress-Tested
What We Cover

What Our Retirement Analysis Covers

A thorough retirement analysis examines every variable that affects whether your money will last — and identifies opportunities most advisors miss.

Monte Carlo Stress Testing

Simulate thousands of market scenarios to understand the probability of your plan succeeding under adverse conditions, including extended bear markets and high inflation.

Withdrawal Strategy Optimization

Determine the most tax-efficient sequence for drawing from taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts to minimize your lifetime tax burden in retirement.

Healthcare Cost Projections

Model Medicare premiums, supplemental coverage, long-term care scenarios, and out-of-pocket costs that can significantly erode retirement savings.

Social Security Timing Analysis

Evaluate the financial impact of claiming at 62 vs. full retirement age vs. 70, including spousal and survivor benefit strategies.

Savings Rate Optimization

For pre-retirees, identify the optimal contribution levels across 401(k), IRA, HSA, and taxable accounts to reach your retirement goals.

Income Replacement Modeling

Calculate the income your portfolio must generate to replace your paycheck, accounting for pensions, Social Security, and part-time work.

How It Works

Our Retirement Analysis Process

A structured approach to answering the most important retirement question.

 
1

Gather Financial Data

We collect your complete financial picture — account statements, pension details, Social Security projections, insurance policies, and expected income sources.

2

Model Current Trajectory

Using Nest Egg Guru and eMoney, we project your current path under various market and inflation scenarios.

3

Identify Gaps & Opportunities

We pinpoint shortfalls and surface actionable strategies such as contribution increases, Roth conversions, or allocation changes.

4

Present Written Findings

You receive a clear, jargon-free summary of our analysis with specific recommendations.

5

Ongoing Monitoring

For ongoing clients, we revisit these projections regularly to keep your plan on track as circumstances change.

Retirement Readiness Checklist

How many of these critical planning items have you addressed?

 

Calculated your target retirement income (typically 70-85% of pre-retirement income)

 

Projected your Social Security benefits using SSA.gov

 

Stress-tested your plan against below-average market returns

 

Reviewed your current asset allocation for age-appropriateness

 

Estimated Medicare and supplemental healthcare costs

 

Identified your tax-efficient withdrawal sequence

 

Evaluated whether Roth conversions make sense pre-retirement

 

Created a contingency plan for extended market downturns

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions about our retirement planning services.

How does retirement stress testing work?
We use Monte Carlo simulation — a method that runs your plan through thousands of randomized market scenarios based on historical return distributions. This tells you the probability of your plan succeeding (e.g., a 92% success rate) rather than giving you a single misleading projection.
What is the 4% rule and should I follow it?
The 4% rule suggests you can withdraw 4% of your initial portfolio value annually, adjusted for inflation. While it is a useful starting point, it was based on historical data that may not reflect future returns. We build customized withdrawal plans based on your specific situation rather than relying on one-size-fits-all rules.
When should I start planning for retirement?
As early as possible. The power of compounding means that small changes in your 30s and 40s can have enormous impacts by retirement. However, it is never too late — even people within 5 years of retirement can significantly improve their outcomes with proper planning.
Do you work with people who are already retired?
Absolutely. A significant portion of our practice involves helping retirees optimize their withdrawal strategies, manage required minimum distributions, and ensure their spending rate is sustainable for the long term.
What software do you use for retirement projections?
We use our proprietary Nest Egg Guru platform, eMoney Advisor, and institutional-grade analytical tools. Nest Egg Guru was co-founded by our principal, J.R. Robinson, and is specifically designed to educate clients about retirement readiness.
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